Toilet paper dispenser



June 5, 1956 H. D. JENKINS 2,749,056

TOILET PAPER DISPENSER Filed Aug. 13,1952

IN! 'ENTOR. W HORACE D. JENKINS 143m 8. Knox TOILET PAPER DISPENSER Horace D. Jenkins, San Diego, Calif.

Application August 13, 1952, Serial No. 304,093

3 Claims. (Cl. 24255.2)

The present invention relates generally to a dispenser for paper rolls and the like and more particularly to a toilet paper roll dispenser including a pressure pad to function as a brake.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a toilet paper dispenser including a pressure pad to brake the roller against inadvertent or wanton unwinding of an excess quantity of paper, and to hold the roll while a portion is being torn therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser particularly adapted for use by children since playful or careless excess unwinding is ahnost certainly prevented when this invention is employed.

Still another object is to provide a dispenser which is particularly well suited for use in public washrooms, and on ships.

A further object is to provide a dispenser with a finger support bracket which is used to steady the hand and to act as a fixed element which can be contacted simultaneously with the brake, by the thumb and a finger of one hand of the operator, to improve the purchase of the hand. This is an important object since it enables children to operate the device while still providing for sufliciently strong braking action.

Another object of this invention and this disclosure, ancillary to the immediately preceding object, is to teach the best known mode of carrying the invention into actual practice.

Another object of this invention is to provide a toilet paper dispenser which is adapted for fabrication from many different materials, so that the choice of material can be according to the dictates of availability and price considerations, the exact sizes and proportions being matters easily determined to suit particular conditions and needs.

Finally, it is an object to provide a toilet paper dispenser of the aforementioned character which is simple, safe and convenient to operate, and which will give generally eflicient and durable service.

With these and other objects definitely in view, this invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions, as will be hereinafter fully described in the specification, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the drawing which forms a material part of this disclosure and wherein similar characters of reference indicate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the views of the drawing, and in which:

Fig. l is an isometric view of the dispenser.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, a toilet paper roll dispenser is generally indicated by the numeral with a roll of paper 12 supported on a roller 14 between opposed end plates or arms 16. The dispenser has a back plate 18 for attaching said dispenser to a wall or similar convenient support. A brake or pressure pad 20 is supported by an arm 22 which is pivotally mounted on pin 24 between a bracket 26 and a finger support bracket 28. The pad 20 is retained in position against the roll of paper 12 by means of a spring 30 tensioned between eyes 32 which are secured in arm 22 and the back plate 18. Thus the roll of paper 12 is prevented from unrolling by the friction of the pressure pad 20. The pad 20 may be an integral portion of the arm 22 as illustrated and the pad 20 is extended, as indicated at 34 to constitute a thumbpiece.

It will be evident that said elements 18 to 34 together constitute a control device for the roll of paper 12. To obtain paper from the roll it is an easy matter to raise the thumbpiece 34 with the thumb, meanwhile engaging the finger support bracket 28 with the index finger of the same hand, as illustrated in Fig. 2, thus obtaining sufiicient leverage or purchase to overcome the tension of the spring. When the desired quantity of paper has been obtained, the pressure pad 20 may be released to hold the roll of paper firmly enabling the user to tear off the unrolled portion of paper. In this way the roll of paper is prevented from unrolling indiscriminately and being wasted due to soiling on the floor, thus greatly reducing the overall expense of the paper supply.

It can be clearly seen that the use of this invention is not limited to the dispensing of toilet paper but that it can be applied to a dispenser for paper towels, aluminum foil, or other disposable materials manufactured in roll form, particularly when such rolled sheet products are transversely perforated.

The operation of this invention will be clearly comprehended from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the drawing and the above recited objects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved by this invention.

Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

It is understood that minor variations from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and that the specification and drawing are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A dispenser for paper rolls and the like, comprising a back plate for securement to a fixed support such as a wall, opposed arms fixed to said back plate, a roller removably supported on and between said arms, an arm pivoted on said back plate and extending in the same general direction as said arms, said arm having a pad portion exteriorly engageable with a roll of material on said roller, and means to bias said arm toward said roller so that said pad functions as a brake against unwinding of the roll, and an element fixed to and extending outwardly from said back plate adjacent to said arm, said element being positioned and dimensioned so that different digits of one hand can simultaneously engage said arm and element to improve the purchase power of the hand and to steady the hand during operation of the dispenser.

2. A dispenser for paper rolls and the like, comprising a back plate for securement to a fixed support such as a wall, opposed arms fixed to said back plate, a roller removably supported on and between said arms, an arm pivoted on said back plate and extending in the same general direction as said arms, said arm having a pad portion exteriorly engageable with a roll of material on said roller, and means to bias said arm toward said roller so that said pad functions as a brake against unwinding of the roll, and an element fixed to and extending outwardly from said back plate adjacent to said arm, said element being positioned and dimensioned so that different digits of one hand can simultaneously engage said arm and element to improve the purchase power of the hand and to steady the hand during operation of the dispenser, said pad being integral with said arm, a

' 3 thumbpiece on said arm adjacent to said pad, said thumbpiece comprising an extension of said arm.

3. In combination, a dispenser having means for supporting a roll of paper, a control device comprising a plate in fixed relation to said means, an arm having one end pivoted on said plate and having a pad on its underside, means to bias said arm to pivot downwardly into engagement with a roll of paper on said dispenser, a thurnbpiece on the other end of said arm adjacent to said pad, an element fixed to and extending from said plate adjacent to said arm, said element being positioned ad- 5 relative to said element against said biasing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS McClearen Feb. 20, 1945 

